The Sovetsky District Prosecutor’s Office of Nizhny Novgorod City has reopened the pretrial investigation into the criminal case of minor Anton Shestopalov, beaten by police officers.

The NN Committee Against Torture where the relatives of the victim applied to has conducted a public investigation into the matter. Lawyers of the Committee suspect the police officers of a violation of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms as to prohibition of torture and cruel treatment.

The criminal case was reopened because of the necessity to carry out investigative actions. The investigator organized confrontations between Anton and the police officers.

You may remember that Anton Shestopalov was beaten in May 2004 in the Sovetsky District Police Department (RUVD) of Nizhny NovgorodCity. The Nizhny Novgorod Regional Prosecutor’s Office opened the criminal case only in February 2006. The Sovetsky District Prosecutor’s Office of Nizhny Novgorod City when considering the complaint against the offence in respect of Anton Shestopalov six times unlawfully dismissed the matter, and all these decisions were later reversed by higher prosecutors either by themselves or on appeal of Anton’s lawyer granted to him by the Committee Against Torture. Until now not a single police officer has been criminally prosecuted for committing this crime.

The attitude of the prosecutor’s office to this case of unlawful cruel treatment in respect of a minor is perplexing.

The actions of the prosecution officials who openly retard the investigative activities can speak for a violation by them of the European Convention as to ensuring effective investigation.